PFL 2019, Playoffs 3 results: Heavyweight, light heavyweight finals set

The final two $1M championship fights in the PFL’s season-ending bash on Dec. 31 are now set, after the third and final set of quarterfinal and semifinal round matches went down on Thursday night in Las Vegas.

At light heavyweight, Emiliano Sordi will meet Jordan Johnson on the New Year’s Eve card at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, and Jared Rosholt will square off with Ali Isaev, after all four fighters won two bouts apiece at the PFL 2019: Playoffs 3 card at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

The light heavyweight finals will see the No. 1 seed take on a competitor going on an upset run.

The top-seeded Sordi (21-8) had as easy a night as a fighter can have in a two-fight evening, as he earned a pair of first-round stoppages. The 28-year-old Argentinian nicknamed “He-Man” needed just 1:13 to TKO Sigi Pesaleli in the quarterfinals, then took 4:26 to submit Bozigit Ataev via rear-naked choke. 

That kept up a streak in which all 21 of Sordi’s career victories have come by way of stoppage. 

“I’m really happy, it couldn’t be better,” Sordi said through an interpreter. “Two fights in one night, one knockout, one submission, I’m very happy.”

On New Year’s Eve, Sori will meet Johnson (13-1), who walked away from the UFC with a 4-0 record in the company when he didn’t like the terms offered on a new contract. 

The 30-year-old out of San Diego earned a pair of decisions, getting a majority draw against Maxim Grishin in the quarterfinals (and avenging his only career loss in the process) and then taking a one-sided unanimous nod over Rashi Yusupov in the semis.

“It means a lot I’m really happy about this most fights I’m not very emotional, but I’m really happy right now. I fought a tough guy Maxim, I faced adversity, and it means a lot to me.”

At heavyweight, the veteran Rosholt (19-7) advanced to the finals after being eliminated in the semis last year. The 33-year-old out of Texas, who has openly talked retirement, needed 3:41 to finish Muhammed DeReese in the quarterfinals.

Then things got interesting. Francimar Barroso defeated Alex Nicholson in a foul-plagued quarterfinal. A point deduction after Nicholson’s third low blow of the fight turned what would have been a majority draw into a unanimous decision for Barroso.

But neither Barroso nor Nicholson were able to continue after their grueling brawl, which meant Kelvin Tiller, who lost in the quarterfinals to Isaev, went back in. Rosholt effectively smothered Tiller for most of the 15-minute duration to earn 30-27 across-the-board scores and punch his ticket to NYC. 

“It’s just awesome, last year I was in he same position and I had to deal with some adversity that came up,” Rosholt said. “I just came out here and did what I had to, to win.”

Asaev (8-0), meanwhile, ended the night with some last second heroics. After his win over TIller, the fight with Golstov, was, well, not exactly action-packed. But the decision could have gone either way. Asaev, however, didn’t let it get there, going for a sudden ruthless flurry of punches as time wound down and earning the TKO finish at the 4:59 mark. 

Both divisions will feature new champions: 2018 light heavyweight champ Sean O’Connell retired following his victory; and heavyweight champ Phillipe Lins is no longer with the promotion. 

The PFL 2019, Playoffs 3 results:

Emiliano Sordi def. Bozigit Ataev via submission (rear-naked choke) — Round 1, 4:26, light heavyweight semifinal
Jordan Johnson def. Rashid Yusupov via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-27)— light heavyweight semifinal
Ali Isaev def. Denis Golstov via TKO (punches) — Round 3, 4:59. heavyweight semifinal
Jared Rosholt def. Kelvin Tiller* via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) — heavyweight semifinal
Jared Rosholt def. Muhammed DeReese via TKO (punches) — Round 1, 3:41, heavyweight quarterfinal
Ali Isaev def. Kelvin Tiller via unanimous decision (20-16, 20-17, 20-17) — heavyweight quarterfinal
Denis Golstov def. Satoshi Ishii via majority decision (19-19, 20-18, 20-18) — heavyweight quarterfinal
Francimar Barroso def. Alex Nicholson via unanimous decision (20-17, 19-18, 19-18) — heavyweight quarterfinal
Jordan Johnson def. Maxim Grishin —majority draw (no scores announced, judges picked Johnson as winner on tiebreaker), light heavyweight quarterfinal
Rashid Yusupov def. Vinny Magalhaes via KO (punch) — Round 1, 2:46, light heavyweight quarterfinal
Bozigit Ataev def. Viktor Nemkov — draw (no scores announced; judges picked Ataev as winner on tiebreaker) light heavyweight quarterfinal
Emiliano Sordi def. Sigi Pesaleli via TKO (punches) — Round 1, 1:13, light heavyweight quarterfinal

*Tiller was placed back into the tournament when neither Barroso nor Nicholson could continue after their quarterfinal fights